In today’s economy, there’s no such thing as a “stable” job or company. It’s too bad, but that’s the reality we now face. One of the secrets to survival and success in today’s job market is to stay one step ahead of any pending changes to your job. To do that, you must pay attention to what’s going on around you in order to see the signs.
If you’re wondering what you should look for while paying attention, here are a few hints:
- Check your own performance. For your ego, this may be a hard thing to do, but it’s necessary in order to determine your “organizational value.” Ask yourself the following questions:
- If I were to leave, what impact would it have on my department, coworkers and boss?
- What value am I really bringing to my employer?
- What was the last feedback I received about my performance from my boss?
- Do I get along with my coworkers, or am I considered to be a trouble maker?
- Time is not your friend. If you have time to “surf the net,” play computer games or do anything else besides work, this could be a good indicator that your job won’t be needed too much longer. In this era of downsizing where companies are requiring employees to do the work of two (or more) people, having a lot of extra time on your hands could be the writing on the wall, “We don’t need you.”
- Busy work is the new norm. If some of your company’s clients have moved on to greener pastures and you’re doing a lot of “busy work,” this could certainly be a sign of the end. Even when you’re a valued employee and your job creates tremendous impact, you will only be kept around for so long to sort old files and rearrange office furniture if there aren’t enough clients to fund your income!
- Rumors of M&A. If your company has divested itself of divisions of your company, and if there are rumors of a merger or acquisition with another company, you should brush the dust off of your resume and begin to circulate it. It’s a rare (if impossible) occasion to see a company take such steps and not follow it up with layoffs.
- Like friend, like friend. If you have friends or professional colleagues in similar jobs within the same industry who begin to suffer layoffs, there’s a good chance that your company and job are next. Industry layoffs tend to happen in waves; what you see happen with your direct competitors could be a sure sign of what may be coming your way, especially if your company isn’t the industry leader.
The most important thing you can do is to pay attention to what’s happening around you. If you notice a change, don’t stick your head in the sand and act like it’s not happening. Too many employees get “caught with their pants down” because they ignored the warning signs that were glaring in their sight….until it was too late.
Until next time…..
